STILLWATER, Okla. — David Beaty readily acknowledges the lumps Kansas football fans took this season, a campaign that ended with 11 consecutive defeats.

There is one thing he wanted relayed to Jayhawk fans, though, in the wake of his team’s 58-17 defeat to No. 18 Oklahoma State on Saturday at Boone Pickens Stadium.

"That’s the thing I want everybody out there to know is, man, I know it hasn’t been fun, but let me tell you something: They’re good men," Beaty said of his players. "They want to represent you well and they fight their tails off until the very end. That was one of the things we had to fix when we got here. There is no quit. Quit doesn’t exist with us."

Whether two of the most prominent "good men" will be around to represent KU next season remains to be seen.

Defensive tackle Daniel Wise and defensive end Dorance Armstrong, both juniors, are seen as likely NFL prospects and must decide by the mid-January deadline whether they want to play on Saturdays or Sundays next fall.

Wise, who finished this season with career-highs in tackles (54) and tackles-for-loss (17.5), said he will take his time with his decision.

"Not really in too much of a rush," Wise said. "Great place to be here at (KU). Love this university, love our fans, love coach Beaty, coach (Jesse) Williams, coach (Clint) Bowen, all of ’em. I’m going to make the best decision that fits with my family and everyone else when we sit down and talk later on, now that we have time to focus on that."

Armstrong, who left midway through Saturday’s game with an illness, was not made available to the media, though Beaty anticipated both the Big 12 preseason defensive player of the year and Wise to seek further information before making a decision.

"We’ll see," Beaty said. "Both of those guys, we will submit their name and we’ll see what comes back, and once we see what comes back, both of these guys are mature enough to know they’ll have a decision to make abo but what their future may hold. So we’ll certainly guide them all the way through as much as them and their families want us to."

Asked whether he’s "worried" about either defensive lineman leaving, Beaty indicated he supports whatever decisions ends up being best for the standout duo.

"The first thing I would say about that is I’m certainly, definitely not ‘worried,’ because that’s the goal," Beaty said. "I just want to make sure our kids understand that. Look: If it’s the right time for them, I’m going to help them pack. That’s why we brought them here, right?"

Regardless of the pair’s decisions, linebacker Joe Dineen said Wise and Armstrong have left their mark on the program and have nothing to be ashamed of either way.

"Obviously what they’ve done here in their three years has been incredible," Dineen said. "The legacy they would leave is just two hard-working guys that make a ton of plays. I think they’ll probably go down as some of the best defensive linemen we’ve had come through here, and rightfully so. They do a ton of stuff off the stat sheet and a ton of stuff on the stat sheet for us."

Left tackle Hakeem Adeniji, who goes up against Armstrong and Wise every practice, said the pair will bring "a lot to the table" when they go pro, whether that’s this year or in the future.

"They’re some of the hardest working guys you have on the team," Adeniji said. "Daniel, one of the best guys you can meet off the field. Dorance too. They’re just relentless. Beyond being great players, which is something that’s obviously good to have, they’re great teammates as well.

"They’re going to compete and make you better, and when you come back in the locker room you can chill and kick it with them."

BENDER RETURNING — Junior quarterback Peyton Bender drew the start in Saturday’s season finale, finishing 17-for-32 passing for 172 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. It was the juco transfer’s first start since Game 7, a 43-0 defeat at TCU.

Bender, who began the season as the starter, lost the job to sophomore Carter Stanley and regained it for the season finale when Stanley injured his knee in last week’s defeat, said he’s disappointed with how the season unfolded but will return.

ADENIJI SET FOR SURGERY — Beaty revealed Adeniji finished the season with two torn labrums, one suffered in the preseason and one suffered during the team’s fifth game, a 65-19 defeat to Texas Tech.

Adeniji, who is set for a pair of surgical procedures in the coming weeks, said he never considered packing it in.

"You put in so much working during the offseason, nine months," Adeniji said. "Those are the guys that I go out and ride with. As long as I could go out and play, there wasn’t really a decision to be made.

"There’s pain here and there, but it’s just something mentally that you have to be able to overcome. Pain is pain. You go out and play through that."

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